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Topic: hive #'s and condition (Read 5904 times)

What started out as 3 has snowballed into 9. They are all doiing great. I'm worried about 1 of them but I have been feeding and adding candy when the weather permits it. Winter has started today, so with all of the info that I have from this site and the few beeks that are around my area, I should be alright. The only problem that I am having is there are alot of older beeks, in my area, that are giving up beekeeping and I seem to be getting all of their hives. I don"t know if that should be considered a problem BUT all of the experiance going away hurts a rookie like me! In NEED of a Mentor. Marcus :-D :-D

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

4 total: 2 hives (both overwintered last year and doing fine so far this year), a styrofoam nuc from a trap out (some mite issues but holding out hope on this one), and an observation hive populated from a very late swarm call (no mites, no worries on this one.)

So far two hives are still alive - one lived (barely) through last winter - still original queen from 2006. The other started from a nuc this year and is still doing OK....we'll see. I'm not letting either starve this year - if they die, it's not going to be from beekeeper neglect like last year.

Linda T in Atlanta

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http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You never can tell with bees" - Winnie the Pooh

Started with 13 hives and a nuc with a swarm in it. Checked the nuc a couple of weeks ago and it was full of drones and a few workers, no sign of a queen. Laying workers, I guess by the symptoms.Checked last week and the nuc was empty, so i burshed a small swarm wityh a queen into it. I think it was raided by honey robbers and likely wiped out the small swarm. Feeding has been a nightmare. Some of my old lids fit right ( I ordered all new ones last week) and allowed robbers to get into the tops of the feeders, drowning them by the hundreds (thousands?). Every time I fed it looked like a shark "feeding frenzy" with thousands of bees and hundreds of yellow jackets and wasps. I am hopeful that the robber honey bees were not from my hives but were either feral or from the six "commercial" hives about a half mile away that do not appear to have been taken care of. The commercial hives (I know this by the name stenciled on them) still have about five supers on them... which makes me wonder if anyone ever came and harvested.

Anyway, I would not know a strong hive from a weak one. I am hopeful for blessings and a little luck to make up for my ignorance until I get things figured out better...and a little experience under my belt.

i've got 4 looking pretty good. i see cleansing flights on the warmer days. I'm going to check hive weights by lifting at the next warm day and feed if necessary. Unscientific but better than just hoping for the best.

Three hives down from five. The last time I opened them was a month ago. At that time they had plenty of stores and lots of capped brood. The temperatures are cooler now with lows in the 30 to 50 F. On warmer days, I see some flight activity. More from my stronger hive. They are still fighting a few ants.

Steve

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Sean, I hope that it is that easy! I can get all that they can drink, after they help with my yard first. :)

the help comes after, get them together first, they'll start talking about bees all on their own, casually mention anything you want to know i guarantee you'll get more than enough info and some-ne will volunter their services. "trus mi"

Six at the moment. 5 with 2 deeps each and one single deep. So far the weather people are calling for a colder with more moisture for Dec. I used the sugar on paper on the tops of frames after pulling the syrup feeders last week. Its up to the bees now (until Feb or so).

Hi my name is Angi Harrover and I live in HAnford Ca which is about 30 min south of Fresno. I have one BB with bottom board tc and telescoping cover. I am going to be getting 1 to 2 established hives pritty soon. One of my husbands best friends and also was one of his best men at our wedding in 99 raises bees in Clovis. He also goes out and catches swarms. He has offered to get me started after I have had to push my hubby to ask him. I raise and breed rare and heartiage breed poultry. And grow orgainc heirloom veggies and tomatoes. I had toubles the last few years with having to hand pollinate my veggies and squashes. The only thing I have seen was one or two bees and one or 2 Bumble Bees. We live out in the country with alfalfa fields, fruit and nut trees, cotton, grapes and everything in between. So way more then the bees can handle with in 2 miles of here. I was a certified producer for farmers markets for my produce and eggs. I raise and sale hatching eggs/eating eggs and chick and poults for Coturnix Quail, Cuckoo Maran (feather legged Cratty line) the chocolate egger, Standard Dark cornish, Royal Palm Turkeys, Black Mottled Turkeys and Indian Runner Ducks in 3 colors, Fawn and white, Fawn with blue fawn drake and Fairy Fawn. I have also started showing at the poultry shows. I am looking forward to getting my bees. I have a hat but no vail. I also need gloves and a suit and smoker. The other things I need to get is a hive tool and a bee brush. As far as harvesting the honey well that will have to come when I can figure what I am going to do out. I need to let them have enough to overwinter but yet have enough for us to eat and sale a little. I also want to collect a little pollen for taking. Like I said I have one hive body with foundations from Dadent I put it togather my self. Thanks for allowing me to join and I am looking forward to getting to know all of you. Oh and I am a Hatch-a-Holic meaing I love to hatch eggs of all sorts. Last year I even hatched Emus.

Angi, I think that you are going to have a blast on this forum. It is a great place to spend time, learn and learn, some great mentors on here, I have been beekeeping now since April 2005. Have taken courses upon courses, have spent myriads of time here and love to learn. Sounds like you are a learner too. To raise that many chickens and other stuff (like the emus) is cool, and it takes lots of work and knowledge to perform these activities. Good for you.

Spend as much time as you can here, and on the internet too. It will do nothing but good for you, soon you will feel confident that you can handle those little beauties that you will be raising to bring you honey and the beautiful products from the hive. You are going to love beekeeping, you obviously love Mother Nature's products.

Enjoy your time spent here, ask any question that you need and never ever feel that any question that you may ask is not worthy of an answer. We all were beginning with our lives with the bees, and we all need to know everything that we can, to keep them safe, and to take good care of them. Have a beautiful and wonderful day, again, welcome. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service